The Villainess is Ti Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Leshan swallowed nervously before calling out to her grandfather.

"...Grandfather."

"Leshan, what are you doing up at this hour?"

He tried to maintain his usual composure, but the betrayal that clouded his granddaughter’s eyes beca more apparent in the light of the room.

'She overheard.'

A fear, like poison, spread through him—a fear that his granddaughter might leave him just as his daughter had. If that were to happen, he couldn’t imagine where or how he would survive.

Marquis Ephekl shouted in desperation.

"Everything I do is for you!"

Leshan shook her head.

"If you truly care for , then please stop these actions."

The marquis groaned in pain.

"I can't stop now. We're so close. This is all just a process to ensure you live a life without health concerns..."

"You're making

worry now."

"You don't need to worry."

"You promised to be a grandfather I could be proud of. Please listen to ."

Leshan pleaded, her voice trembling. The marquis, looking at her with deep concern, pulled her into a tight embrace. As Leshan sobbed in his arms, she whispered.

"Grandfather..."

"I can't."

But the marquis was resolute. Leshan pushed herself out of his embrace.

She didn’t want to live by destroying soone else, especially if that person was Marceau, who she had already hurt.

She felt a deep disappointnt in her grandfather. He had always seed like soone who would walk the righteous path, which made it even harder to see him stray. Because she loved him, she wanted him to stop.

"If you won’t stop, then I’ll tell Marceau everything I heard today."

"...No."

The marquis, filled with affection, looked at Leshan but did not nod in agreent.

"Grandfather... you're not the type of person to do sothing like this. Please tell

the reason you made this decision."

Leshan desperately tried to understand her grandfather, clinging to the hope that there was so reason she didn’t know. She was frantic.

The marquis closed his eyes tightly. It seed like Leshan was expecting him to confess everything to her.

"For now, take so rest at the estate."

But all he said was this.

The next day, Leshan found herself locked in her room.

Darcy didn’t respond to my feelings imdiately. I didn’t press him for an answer either.

"When you're ready, let

know."

This ti, waiting felt different. I was confident that he felt the sa way as I did.

Darcy just needed ti to acknowledge his own feelings.

But even just confirming our mutual feelings made

feel more confident.

The day after the tea party, I received a letter from Lady Wernar.

The letter, addressed to , detailed her career, her life up to this point, and all the advantages she could offer as a lady. It was less of a letter and more of a dissertation.

‘...At least I can reject her now.’

Recalling my conversation with Darcy, I felt a sense of relief.

It felt like I was dealing with a rival.

I quickly penned my response.

‘It’s better to discuss this in person.’

Since Lady Wernar had been direct about her feelings, this approach seed more appropriate.

Not long after I sent my reply, I received her response, and we arranged to et the next day.

"Oh, Lady Etwar."

She greeted

warmly. Despite the hints I had given in my letter, she remained as cheerful as ever.

I decided to reveal the truth before she could get her hopes up.

"I'm sorry, but Lady Wernar, your eting with Prince Darcy will not happen. I’ve conveyed your ssage..."

"Ah, I see."

I was surprised by how quickly she gave up.

Hadn't she directly asked

if I was interested in Darcy?

It made

uneasy, as if she was hiding sothing.

Sensing my discomfort, Lady Wernar explained.

"It’s not that I wasn’t aware of how close you two seed. I was just testing the waters."

That was very much in line with her character.

"I wish you both the best of luck."

There was sothing almost surreal about her wishing us well.

What kind of person was Lady Wernar? She was unlike anyone I had ever encountered.

But I had to admit, my impression of her improved significantly.

She was the first person to openly support my relationship with Darcy. A good person.

Feeling a bit shy, I scratched my head and muttered.

"...We're not official yet."

"But unofficially, you're quite entangled, aren’t you?"

"..."

"You’re not denying it. Anyway, thanks for telling

directly."

Lady Wernar stood up gracefully, clearly preparing to leave.

"Are you leaving already?"

I felt a sense of regret that I hadn’t felt when dealing with Ryan. I knew this might be the last ti we would talk like this.

"Yes, our conversation is over. It’s a sha I missed out on that long-haired beauty."

"...Why do you like long hair so much?"

I asked, trying to keep the conversation going. I was genuinely curious too—long hair wasn’t particularly common, and it was rare to find soone so openly fond of it.

Lady Wernar, who had seed ready to leave without a second thought, paused.

"That’s the first ti anyone’s asked

that."

Lady Wernar lowered her gaze, lost in thought. In that mont, she looked like a scholar deep in study or a philosopher contemplating life’s aning.

"My first love had long hair."

"..."

"My first love, whom I never saw again."

I widened my eyes in surprise at the unexpected answer.

"I’ve never told anyone that before. It feels a bit liberating to share it. Thanks for listening."

She smiled, but there was a bittersweet autumn scent in the air. It seed things hadn’t gone well with her first love.

Seeing this more human side of her, I wanted to grow closer to her.

...Though she hadn’t been interested in , she was the first person I could talk to about love.

"Lady Wernar."

"Yes?"

"Are you really not going to be active anymore?"

Lady Wernar smiled at .

"Sotis. Maybe we can have a al together occasionally. I enjoyed our banter more than I expected."

"..."

"No one else really wants to spar with ."

It seed I had made a friend, soone I could greet from ti to ti. She seed to have enjoyed our conversation as much as I did.

I saw her off.

‘That’s enough entertaining guests for today.’

I should go finish packing.

After successfully hosting the tea party, interest in

had only grown.

Pithol’s play continued to be a hit, and it kept ntioning , fueling the anticipation.

Of course, this was sothing I had asked Pithol to do.

In any case, the preparations for my departure were nearly complete. I would leave the estate within the next two days.

I had already told Marquis Etwar that I was going to rest at our territory.

As I was about to leave the parlor, I noticed a servant approaching quickly, which made

raise an eyebrow. Was there sothing else they needed to tell ?

"Lady Marceau, a guest has arrived."

"Who is it?"

Ever since my unplanned encounter with Ryan, I had made it a habit to confirm the nas of my guests.

To avoid letting any suspicious people into the estate again.

"They asked to be called Leti."

"Leti?"

The Leti I knew? But why would she co all the way here to see ?

"...It’s the sa Leti who used to work at our estate. She said she urgently needs to speak with you."

Rumor had it that Leti had been dismissed because she didn’t et my standards.

The servant seed nervous, perhaps fearing my reaction, as they hesitated to relay the ssage.

‘People shouldn’t be used.’

If she ca here in person, she must have a good reason. It could be a trap, considering her connection to Ryan...

‘Speculating alone is pointless.’

I wasn’t Leti, so I couldn’t know what she wanted to say.

Even if I decided to send her away, it was right to at least hear her out.

"Let her in."

However, I called her into a room that wasn’t at all prepared for guests. Despite letting her into the estate, the disheveled state of the parlor signaled that she hadn’t been formally invited.

"Have you been well, Lady Marceau?"

She stood before .

Leticia, the leader of the underworld rchant guild, had shed the image I last saw of her and returned to being my maid, Leti.

‘...What is she up to?’

Her gentle deanor made it seem like the person I last saw didn’t exist.

I couldn’t hide my bewildernt.

"The servant has left, so there’s no need to keep up appearances... What are you really here for?"

"I have sothing to tell you."

As soon as she realized that we were alone in the room, her gaze changed again. The way she switched her expression as easily as flipping a piece of paper made her a natural actress.

‘Shouldn’t she have joined a theater troupe?’

I admired her internally.

"Is this a ssage from Prince Ryan?"

"No. It’s sothing I want to convey to you myself."

"...You?"

What could she possibly want to tell

directly?

"In a month, rumors will spread throughout the capital."

"Rumors?"

"That the Etwar Marquisate has been hoarding magic stones, disregarding the royal family, and has discovered a new mine, which they’re using to fill their own coffers."

This was absurd.

If anyone examined the records of the magic stone mines, the amount of stones owned by the Etwar Marquisate, and the supplies provided to the royal family, it would imdiately be clear that this was false. So why bother?

If we had discovered a new mine, all the nobles would be claiming magic stone mines for themselves, living lavishly.

There was a reason why only the royal family, the Etwar Marquisate, and the Ephekl Marquisate had monopolized the magic stones.

"Yes, normally, no one would believe it."